George Abou-Daoud Opening Mod Mediterranean Concept Urban Garden, Many More Units to Come

Los Angeles is certainly not devoid of great Lebanese/Mediterranean food, dispersed throughout the city from Westwood to The Valley. However, few eateries, if any, are offering a new contemporary spin to hummus, tabbouleh, and baba ghanoush. And that's exactly what restaurateur George Abou-Daoud is doing with Urban Garden, his new fast casual Lebanese spot adjacent to Rosewood Tavern. Grub Street spotted plywood on Fairfax at Rosewood, and according to Abou-Daoud, come September, this will be a casual but modern order-at-the counter type scenario unlike any of his other ventures such as The Bowery, Mercantile, or Township. "This is the extreme opposite of anything I've done," explains Abou-Daoud.

He plans to serve his mom's food (no alcohol), think hummus topped with freshly roasted lamb, or tabbouleh beneath roasted beef. All organic, natch. The overall vibe is healthy Lebanese fare served up in a hyper modern setting, clean lines with a white and green color scheme.

Before Urban Garden opens on Fairfax, Abou-Daoud is already negotiating his second location, and plans to launch multiple units throughout the city. He's confident that this is LA's next big bang.
·George Abou-Daoud Opening Urban Garden in Hollywood [Grub Street]

[Photo: Grub Street/Tatiana Arbogast]